Northside Continues Southeast Leadership in Robotic Surgery

Posted on: October 16, 2014

Northside Hospital Healthcare System continues to lead the Southeast in
state-of-the-art surgical services with the introduction of three
advanced robotic surgery technologies: The Magellan Robotic System, the
da Vinci Xi Surgical System and the MAKOplasty surgical arm.

Northside Hospital is the first healthcare institution in the state of
Georgia to utilize the groundbreaking Magellan Robotic System. The
Magellan Robotic System, designed to perform a myriad minimally invasive
endovascular procedures, will be available at both Atlanta and Forsyth
campuses. The first live procedure ever to be performed in Georgia
will take place on Oct. 21 at Northside Hospital-Forsyth.

“This technology will grant an unprecedented level of precision to
Northside vascular surgeons navigating the extremely complex anatomy of
peripheral blood vessels,” said Dr. Joseph Ricotta, chair, of vascular
surgery & endovascular therapy at Northside Vascular Surgery and
medical director of vascular services, Northside Hospital Heart &
Vascular Institute and the lead Northside physician for the procedure.
Dr. Ricotta also added that the Magellan Robotic System builds upon
Northside’s longstanding expertise in surgical robotics and enables
Northside Hospital to offer the broadest set of options with the most
cutting-edge technologies for treatment of patients with vascular
disease.”

The Magellan Robotic System is able to robotically shape endovascular
catheters during the procedure, so that a single catheter may be used
instead of exchanging for various pre-shaped catheters during the
procedure. Magellan Robotic Catheters can rotate 360 degrees, and
bend 180 degrees in any direction. This may lead to fewer catheter
exchanges during the procedure, more predictable procedure times, and
may help facilitate navigation through very complex anatomy, potentially
leading to less radiation and contrast exposure, making the procedure
safer for the patient.

Magellan allows doctors more control and precision while navigating
catheters through small blood vessels in complex vascular procedures.
This leads to higher procedural success rates and enables more patients
to be treated by less invasive endovascular methods rather than open
surgery. With the lead of Dr. Ricotta, Northside Hospital Healthcare
System will be able to add this first-of-its-kind technology to its
suite of robotic offerings.

The da Vinci Xi Surgical System, the latest version of the da Vinci
robot, is already being utilized for complex procedures like partial
nephrectomy (kidney removal). Dr. Scott Miller performed the first
surgery with this device in Georgia on Oct. 1, 2014. The Xi is the
newest iteration of the robotic system and comes with a whole suite of
improved patient outcomes. The Xi provides multiple benefits like better
visualization and multi-quadrant access (a boom overhead that gives the
surgical team more room around the patient).

“The addition of the da Vinci Xi to Northside’s robotics portfolio
highlights the institution’s continued commitment to providing patients
with the best healthcare technology available,” said Dr. Scott Miller,
medical director of Northside Hospital’s Advanced Laparoscopic and
Robotic Surgery Program.
The MAKOplasty procedure at Northside Hospital-Forsyth has helped to
improve the surgical outcomes of patients requiring hip and partial knee
replacements. Through 3D models, motion capture and real-time virtual
views of the patient’s anatomy, doctors are able to provide more
accurate fittings and ensure that post-procedure pain is reduced
significantly for patients.

“MAKOplasty provides hip and partial knee replacement patients that
qualify with a more appealing solution,” said Dr. Jon Minter,
orthopeadic surgeon at Northside Total Joint Specialists and lead
MAKOplasty physician. “The system allows surgeons to fine-tune the
implant’s positioning and shape, making the most accurate joint
replacements available and increasing patients’ mobility faster than
ever before.”

All of these robotic systems help solidify Northside Hospital Healthcare
System’s position as the hub for efficient and cutting edge procedures
that are helping patients with the smallest amount of risk
possible. However, it’s not just the state-of-the-art technology
that leads to better patient outcomes, but rather the training and level
of expertise of the surgeon using it that is critical in the success of
using robotic technology. Many of the surgeons on staff at
Northside are pioneers in laparoscopic surgery and are nationally and
internationally recognized for their expertise in minimally invasive
techniques, like robotic surgery. Surgeons at Northside even train
others from across the country on how to use this state-of-the-art
technology. Combined with the skill and experience of the
operating room nurses and surgical technologists, this level of
expertise is critical in giving patients excellent outcomes after
treatment and quicker recoveries following robotic surgery.

“We are pleased to bring the Magellan Robotic System to our Advanced
Robotic Surgery program,” says Vicki Barnett, director of surgical
services, Northside Hospital. “The addition of this robot, as well as
the daVinci and MAKOplasty, will help Northside continue to offer
patients the best care possible using the most innovative technology
available.”